2021/2011(INI) A European strategy for critical raw materials
Lead committee dossier:
Progress: Awaiting committee decision
| Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | ITRE |
BENTELE Hildegard ( EPP)
|
CHAHIM Mohammed ( S&D),
PEKKARINEN Mauri ( Renew),
HAHN Henrike ( Verts/ALE),
TOVAGLIERI Isabella ( ID),
KLOC Izabela-Helena ( ECR),
REGO Sira ( GUE/NGL)
|
| Committee Opinion | ENVI |
MATTHIEU Sara ( Verts/ALE)
|
Maria ARENA ( S&D),
Stanislav POLČÁK ( PPE),
Manuel BOMPARD ( GUE/NGL),
Susana SOLÍS PÉREZ ( RE),
Sylvia LIMMER ( ID),
Pietro FIOCCHI ( ECR)
|
| Committee Opinion | INTA |
HAIDER Roman ( ID)
|
Emmanouil FRAGKOS ( ECR),
Marek BELKA ( S&D),
Anna-Michelle ASIMAKOPOULOU ( PPE),
Barry ANDREWS ( RE),
Manuela RIPA ( Verts/ALE)
|
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54, RoP 57
Legal Basis:
RoP 54, RoP 57Events
2021/05/28
EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2021/02/17
EP - MATTHIEU Sara (Verts/ALE) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI
2021/02/11
EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2021/02/11
EP - Referral to associated committees announced in Parliament
2021/01/28
EP - HAIDER Roman (ID) appointed as rapporteur in INTA
2020/12/17
EP - BENTELE Hildegard (EPP) appointed as rapporteur in ITRE
Activities
- Tiziana BEGHIN
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Maria da Graça CARVALHO
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Fabio Massimo CASTALDO
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Krzysztof HETMAN
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Angelika NIEBLER
Plenary Speeches (0)
- David Maria SASSOLI
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Sira REGO
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Robert HAJŠEL
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Henrike HAHN
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Mauri PEKKARINEN
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Paolo BORCHIA
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Grzegorz TOBISZOWSKI
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Marek BELKA
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Hildegard BENTELE
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Mohammed CHAHIM
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Anna-Michelle ASIMAKOPOULOU
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Jessica STEGRUD
Plenary Speeches (0)
- Sara MATTHIEU
Plenary Speeches (0)
| Amendments | Dossier |
| 282 |
2021/2011(INI)
2021/05/04
ENVI
210 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Recital 1 a (new) 1a. whereas the recycling rates of most CRMs are very low and are close to zero for the majority of them;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph -1 (new) -1. Stresses that, in its implementation, the European Strategy for Critical Raw Materials must ensure that the projected increased demand for Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) and consequent expansion of mining needed to achieve the transition to low-carbon technologies do not simply shift EU's GHG emissions and environmental impact to other parts of the economic chain; stresses that there is a risk this could cause new environmental and social problems, such as biodiversity loss, more contaminated air, soil and water, lack of access to arable land and freshwater, displacement and eroded livelihoods, health impacts, resource depletion, and conflicts;
Amendment 100 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise CRM extraction from existing mines
Amendment 101 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise CRM extraction from existing EU mines and waste dumps over new mining in case when extraction of CRM's from existing mines and dumps have smaller environmental impact, including energy and chemicals usage, than new ones; requests that the Commission assess whether current due diligence and environment rules are sufficient to guarantee minimal environmental impact of potential new mining projects in the EU;
Amendment 102 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise CRM extraction from existing mines and waste dumps over new mining; requests that the Commission assess whether current due diligence and environment rules are sufficient to guarantee minimal environmental impact of both existing and potential new mining projects in
Amendment 103 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise CRM extraction from existing mines and waste dumps over new mining; requests that the Commission assess whether current due diligence and environment rules are sufficient to guarantee minimal environmental impact of potential new mining projects in the EU, while at the same time ensuring that the environmental impact is assessed in relation to the socio-economic impact on mining regions and communities, guaranteeing the transparent and inclusive participation of those communities in the decisions and actions taken throughout the lifecycle of the mining projects;
Amendment 104 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise CRM extraction from existing mines and waste dumps over new mining; requests that the Commission assess whether current due diligence and environment rules are sufficient to guarantee minimal environmental impact of potential new mining projects in the EU; emphasizes that reducing the adverse environmental effects of new mining projects in the EU cannot be based on offsetting schemes;
Amendment 105 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise CRM extraction from existing mines and waste dumps over new mining; requests that the Commission assess whether current due diligence and environment rules are sufficient to guarantee minimal environmental impact of potential new mining projects in the EU, and to ensure reclamation once mining activities are completed;
Amendment 106 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Notes that environmental standards for resource extraction and recycling in the European Union are robust in comparison to third countries; stresses that environmental standards regarding CRMs in the European Union and its Member states must be further developed and strengthened in order to guarantee a safe operation space for our societies within the planetary boundaries; highlights that currently high volumes of CRMs leave the union as waste which weakens the Unions strategic autonomy and causes both environmental problems and public health hazards in third countries; Urges the Commission to come up with legislative proposal without delay to ensure that CRMs do not leave the borders of the European union as waste, especially concerning dismantling of marine vessels;
Amendment 107 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Considers that solutions to substitute or at least reduce the quantity of CRMs needed by European industry must be found, in particular with the aim of limiting dependence on foreign suppliers and reducing the damage done to the environment; stresses, however, that substitution can be only a transitional solution as transferring demand to other metals is not an answer, in the medium and long term, to global pressure on metals and the finite nature of resources;
Amendment 108 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Calls on the Commission to fully enforce current EU environmental legislation applicable to the mining sector and to assess whether such legislation is sufficient to guarantee minimal environmental impact of existing and potential new mining projects in the EU, in the light of the objectives of the European Green Deal and in particular of the Biodiversity Strategy and the upcoming Zero-Pollution Action Plan, and to adapt this legislation where necessary;
Amendment 109 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Encourages development of framework conditions for sustainable mining and improvement of the CRM’s knowledge base, including identification and classification of mining waste deposits; asks the Commission to develop a comprehensive pan-European database on mining waste sites and support the development of adequate tools to assess feasibility and benefits related to the recovery of CRMs from mining wastes, necessary for supplying Green Deal technologies;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph -1 a (new) -1a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that all environmental externalities of extraction and processing of CRMs are duly taken into account into the supply risk analysis when determining environmental criticality of CRMs;
Amendment 110 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Calls on the Commission to propose Sustainability Criteria under Taxonomy regulation for acquiring and processing primary and secondary raw materials (including mining) needed to achieve ambitious goals of the Green Deal; Highlights the need of securing finance for investments in research and development for technologies allowing extracting CRM's from waste and mining residues;
Amendment 111 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Requests that the Commission acts through the Waste Shipments Regulation review to prevent the illegal and dubious exports of waste products containing CRMs; calls for overall requirements that waste products containing CRMs are only exported with a guarantee they will be treated under equivalent conditions to Europe in the destination country.
Amendment 112 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Recognises that the EU raw materials mining and processing sectors are at the global spearhead of sustainable processing and need adequate funding possibilities to sustain or further improve this position through innovation and scale-up of not yet market ready technologies, for example through an IPCEI on Raw Materials for the Green Deal.
Amendment 113 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to identify and make efforts to secure sources of cobalt and rare earth metals necessary for providing EU autonomy in reaching the Green Deal objectives especially regarding batteries production.
Amendment 114 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Call on the Commission to safeguard environmental and social standards, as well as the traceability of supply and trade chains of CRMs along their life cycle; Believes that the upcoming mandatory due-diligence legislation should contribute to this aim;
Amendment 115 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Asks the Commission to ensure the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability is consistent with Europe’s Critical Raw Materials Action Plan and supporting a safe circular economy for strategic and critical raw materials;
Amendment 116 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Encourages the improvement of processing capacity so that the EU can process in situ extracted materials such as lithium;
Amendment 117 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 March 2021 on Corporate due diligence and corporate accountability1a for the Union to urgently adopt binding requirements for undertakings to identify, assess, prevent, cease, mitigate, monitor, communicate, account for, address and remediate potential and/or actual adverse impacts on the environment, among other aspects, in their value chains; highlights that the demand for ambitious due diligence and corporate accountability consider also CRM value chains; stresses that it is the responsibility of governments to ensure peoples right to healthy and safe environment and that this responsibility should not be transferred to private actors; __________________ 1a Text adopted, P9_TA(2021)0073
Amendment 118 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Call on the Commission to give particular attention to the socially and environmentally responsible sourcing of all CRMs and their traceability, from inside and outside Europe, and along their whole life cycle; calls on the Commission to give particular attention to the mining sector in the upcoming mandatory due-diligence legislation due to its significant impact on the environment;
Amendment 119 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Points out that only a few metals are recycled relatively well, with most being poorly recycled; stresses therefore that very few small metals are recycled, in particular rare earths;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Re
Amendment 120 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Asks the Commission to encourage European citizens to repair and reuse objects containing CRM, in order to promote virtuous behaviours that would lead to the automatic reduction of the use of CRM;
Amendment 121 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Encourages, through EU projects, the practice of "urban mining" by increasing the recovery rate of CRM from e-waste, which at the moment stands below 1%;
Amendment 122 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Recognises the need of upskilling and reskilling people in order to enable professionals to transition from 'brown' skills to 'green' skills.
Amendment 123 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Calls on the Commission to always include in the external policy activities on CRMs, including in trade and investment agreements, binding provisions and discussions on the protection of the environment; stresses that all such agreements must be fully aligned with and drive forward the implementation of the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); believes that such levelled playing concerning environmental standards would significantly mitigate environmental dumping in international trade and improve the health of citizens in the EU and third countries; emphasizes that mitigating environmental pressures in third countries caused by Europe's demand of CRMs cannot be based on offsetting schemes;
Amendment 124 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Points out that small metals are often used in the form of complex alloys; stresses that such alloys make recycling extremely complex; calls on the Commission to introduce binding product design standards so that components are easy to separate when end-of-life products are dismantled;
Amendment 125 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Calls on the Commission to implement strict standards of public disclosure, transparency and reporting in extractive industries and mining activities
Amendment 126 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Calls on the European Commission to increase outreach efforts on the topic of sustainable mining, in order to improve public understanding and acceptance.
Amendment 127 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 d (new) 3d. Stresses, however, that, when alloys are recycled, the metals recovered are not in their purest form as they become degraded through use; emphasises that increasing the volumes recycled will not reduce mining in the long term unless our growth model changes; notes that a truly circular economy is built on a waste hierarchy in which waste prevention is distinguished from and prioritised over recycling; considers therefore that achieving a truly circular economy, capable of reducing our mining activities, is incompatible with the continued existence of a capitalist economy based on the sole imperative of profitability;
Amendment 128 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 e (new) Amendment 129 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 f (new) 3f. Stresses that WEEE poses significant health and safety risks as it contains a complex mixture of materials, some of which are hazardous; stresses as a result that repair and recycling of electronic products expose workers to toxic and radioactive materials; calls for workers in this sector to be given appropriate personal protective equipment; calls for the right to adequate personal protective equipment to be extended to the informal circular economy;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for binding EU reduction targets for primary raw materials use; requests that the Commission
Amendment 130 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 g (new) Amendment 131 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 h (new) 3h. Expresses alarm at the quasi- monopoly that the People’s Republic of China has over rare earths and rare metals; considers that, even if China does not necessarily have any hostile geostrategic intentions against the Union, this dependence on China is not compatible with the strategic autonomy imperatives of the EU;
Amendment 132 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 133 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that mining permits should include requirements for the proper
Amendment 134 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that mining permits should include requirements for the proper
Amendment 135 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that mining permits should include requirements for the proper recovery of all CRMs; re
Amendment 136 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that mining permits should include requirements for the proper recovery of
Amendment 137 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that mining permits and concessions should include requirements for the proper recovery and processing of all CRMs; requests that the Commission urgently implement Parliament’s demands in its resolution of 27 April 2017 on implementation of the Mining Waste Directive2 ; reiterates that the questionnaire currently used as reporting system under Article 18 of the Directive is not fit for purpose, and requests the Commission to create a harmonized, digitized and transparent EU registration system that is based on harmonised definitions and treatment criteria for mining waste and that includes all the relevant environmental impact data, including the content concentrations of waste deposits; asks the Commission to establish maximum thresholds of sulphur and heavy metals concentration in waste facilities, to enhance the recovery of CRMs from mining waste and reduce potential acid drainage and pollution; __________________ 2 OJ C 298, 23.8.2018, p. 132.
Amendment 138 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that mining permits should include requirements for the proper recovery of all
Amendment 139 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that mining permits should include requirements and targets for the proper
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for binding EU
Amendment 140 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that mining permits should
Amendment 141 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that mining permits should include requirements for the
Amendment 142 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that mining permits should include requirements for the proper, safe and sustainable recovery of all CRMs; requests that the Commission urgently implement Parliament’s demands in its resolution of 27 April 2017 on implementation of the Mining Waste Directive2
Amendment 143 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Points out that, on 5 August 2020, the United Nations Environment Programme adopted a new Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management; notes that the standard covers the entire lifecycle of tailings facilities, from selection of the site, design and construction, through management and monitoring, to closure and post- closure; emphasises that it covers topics such as: affected communities; integrated knowledge base; design, construction, operation and monitoring of tailings facilities; management and governance; emergency response and long-term recovery; and public disclosure and access to information;
Amendment 144 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Calls on the Commission to give particular attention to the post-extraction phase of mining projects and to the end- of-life of CRMs, in accordance with the waste hierarchy, as defined in the Waste Framework Directive, and especially where CRMs are also hazardous substances; recalls its demands in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan regarding the revision of the Waste Shipment Directive1a; __________________ 1a Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0040.
Amendment 145 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Calls on the Commission to study the possibility of incorporating into Union law and developing further the new UNEP Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management, and to distribute the standard throughout the value chains of companies importing and using CRMs within the internal market;
Amendment 146 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Encourages a comprehensive assessment of
Amendment 147 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Encourages a comprehensive assessment of the
Amendment 148 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Encourages a comprehensive assessment of the mining sector’s inclusion in the scope of the Industrial Emissions Directive; considers that the high environmental impact of mining activities, the average large size of mining projects, the variations in the pollution management standards applied to mining sites across Europe, and the potential expansion of CRM mining activities in Europe are elements of a strong case for the mining sector’s inclusion in the IED scope; suggests the establishment of BATs on restoration of mines, specifically relating to soil and water;
Amendment 149 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Encourages a comprehensive assessment of the mining sector’s inclusion in the scope of the EIA, Environmental Liability and Industrial Emissions Directives;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for binding EU reduction targets for primary raw materials use; requests that the Commission
Amendment 150 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Encourages a comprehensive assessment of the mining sector’s potential inclusion in the scope of the Industrial Emissions Directive;
Amendment 151 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Believes that additional research and innovation projects need to be developed to reduce the environmental impact of extracting and processing raw materials, particularly in the case of those that require costly and polluting extraction and processing;
Amendment 152 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. The main goal of the Critical Raw Materials Resilience being to lay out of a way towards more sustainability and security, its scope should be extended to all raw materials, including secondary raw materials, that forma strategically important section of the key value chains.
Amendment 153 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Calls on the Commission to adopt strict technical criteria to define what constitutes a sustainable investment in the mining sector in the EU Taxonomy implementing rules (Climate Delegated Act);
Amendment 154 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6.
Amendment 155 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that mining
Amendment 156 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6.
Amendment 157 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that mining should be forbidden in nature conservation areas;
Amendment 158 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that mining should be forbidden in nature conservation areas; recognises, however, that appropriate solutions should be examined where mines for very critical materials are concerned; calls on the Commission to evaluate legislative options to ensure that local communities are fully involved in the permit procedures for new industrial and new mining projects
Amendment 159 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that mining should be forbidden in
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for binding EU reduction targets for primary raw materials use; requests that the Commission
Amendment 160 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that mining should be forbidden in nature conservation areas and that restoration should be obligatory for the ongoing mining activities in these areas; calls on the Commission to evaluate legislative options to ensure that local communities are fully involved in the
Amendment 161 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that mining should be forbidden in nature conservation areas and that ecological restoration programmes for historical contaminated mining sites need to be realistic and gradual, focusing on the assessment of post-closure land use and the immediate implementation of socio-economic recovery programmes for mine closure areas in order to achieve short and long-term ecological and socioeconomic stability for those regions; calls on the Commission to evaluate legislative options to ensure that local communities are fully involved in the permit procedures for new industrial and new mining projects and that there are sufficient funds to ensure reskilling of the labour force, job creation and social stability in mine closure areas.
Amendment 162 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that mining should be forbidden in nature conservation areas
Amendment 163 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that mining and any raw material search and exploitation activity should be forbidden in nature conservation areas; calls on the Commission to evaluate legislative options to ensure that local communities are fully involved, alongside interregional and cross-border cooperation, in the permit procedures for new industrial and new mining projects.
Amendment 164 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that mining should be forbidden in nature conservation areas; calls on the Commission to evaluate legislative options to ensure that local communities are fully involved in the permit procedures for new industrial and new mining projects; highlights the need in this respect for an independent and objective impact assessment when approving such projects.
Amendment 165 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6.
Amendment 166 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that mining and the exploration of mining minerals should be forbidden in nature conservation areas, especially areas included in the Natura 2000 network; calls on the Commission to
Amendment 167 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6.
Amendment 168 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 – subparagraph 1 (new) Calls on the Commission to guarantee higher standards and availability of secondary raw materials by setting up a review of the Waste Shipment Regulation, securing that exports of types of waste that fall under the scope of the regulation are tied to environmental and social standards in the receiving countries that are at the same level as EU standards.
Amendment 169 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Recalls the Parliament’s position1a in favour of an international moratorium on commercial deep-sea mining exploitation licences until such time as the effects of deep-sea mining on the marine environment, biodiversity and human activities at sea have been studied and researched sufficiently and all possible risks are understood; calls on the Commission to push for this position in international fora; __________________ 1aResolution of the European Parliament of 16 January 2018 on international ocean governance: an agenda for the future of our oceans in the context of the 2030 SDGs(2017/2055(INI)) (2018/C 458/02)
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan
Amendment 170 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) Amendment 171 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Supports the Commission’s review of State aid guidelines in all relevant sectors, including those related to CRMs and circular economy, in order to achieve the objectives of the European Green Deal by applying the ‘just transition’ principle; stresses that sustainable use of CRMs and transition to a fully circular economy in a just and inclusive way will demand massive public and private investments; highlights the role of R&D funding in developing more environmentally sound alternatives for current technologies, especially concerning batteries;
Amendment 172 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Points out that mining poses multiple risks of pollution to surface and ground water; stresses that such pollution can contaminate and even eliminate aquatic fauna a long way downstream of mining sites; emphasises that such pollution also affects plant growth and land animals that drink the water; notes that neighbouring populations are exposed to the contamination due to their consumption of polluted water and also plants and animals that have consumed the water;
Amendment 173 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Highlights that the mining of CRMs is one of the strong drivers of biodiversity loss and deforestation worldwide, and therefore calls on the Commission to assess the impact of their extraction, processing and use on biodiversity loss and forest loss and degradation inside and outside the EU in the measures linked to CRMs such as the Industrial Emissions Directive
Amendment 174 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Requests that the Commission sets Sustainable Finance taxonomy criteria for the mining and processing sectors necessary for supplying Green Deal technologies; highlights the importance of directing new investment to activities directly enabling accelerated improvement in climate and environmental performance; calls for a financing framework guiding the sector’s overall transition towards EU climate-neutrality and zero-pollution goals.
Amendment 175 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Underlines the need for sustainable financing criteria for the mining extractive and processing sectors; highlights the importance of CRMs to deliver the Green Deal and manage and support the twin green and digital transition; underlines the need to steer necessary investments to activities that directly contribute to expedite improvement of environmental and climate performance;
Amendment 176 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Calls on the Commission to develop Sustainable Finance taxonomy criteria which enables the transition to a EU climate-neutral scenario whilst also enhancing European Resilience and Open Strategic autonomy; realises that diversification is key to the security of supply of CRMs and that the mining and processing sectors are necessary for supplying Green Deal technologies.
Amendment 177 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Considers that European strategic autonomy should be based on security of supply, training in new skills, maintaining and developing know-how in the academic world and industry, and technological sobriety;
Amendment 178 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Stresses that transformation to low carbon economy must not cause new environmental and social problems in the EU or the third countries and urges the Commission and Member States to duly address the resource implications of low- carbon technologies in the field of critical raw materials.
Amendment 179 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Calls on the Commission to launch specific financial instruments related to Research and Innovation that are tied to waste processing and refurbishment of waste materials; processes that allow the extraction of raw materials from mining residues, tailing and complex streams.
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for
Amendment 180 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Recalls that responsible sourcing and due diligence are key issues throughout the raw materials value chain; and that, given the EU’s high dependence on imports, sustainable and responsible sourcing from third countries must be guaranteed.
Amendment 181 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Acknowledges the lower environmental impact of electric vehicles (EV) in comparison to internal combustion engine cars; points out that despite relative advantages the manufacturing and use of EVs contribute to environmental problems through extraction of CRMs and multiple other ways; stresses that a truly sustainable transportation policy cannot be based on replacing internal combustion engine cars by EVs, but by putting walking, bicycling and public transportation as first and key policy priorities, especially in urban areas; highlights both the environmental and public health benefits of such sustainable transportation policy approach;
Amendment 182 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Calls on the Commission to ensure that critical raw materials imported to the EU were legally produced while respecting due diligence requirements in the field of human (including children´s and workers´) and indigenous peoples rights and protection of the environment; welcomes in this context the full applicability from the 1 January 2021 of the Conflict Minerals Regulation (EU)2017/821; is of the opinion however that the regulation should be more ambitious in terms both the minerals covered and obligations imposed and calls on the Commission to review the regulation by 2023.
Amendment 183 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Stresses that mining activities produce air emissions that harm air quality, that they can also contaminate the soil over large areas, and that they play a major role in deforestation and loss of biodiversity; emphasises that all this pollution seriously disturbs ecosystems;
Amendment 184 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. For the creation of easier joint ventures in third countries, that show high levels of resources, principally in South America, Africa and the Western Balkans, the EU should aim at making use of all means available, especially trade agreements and strategic partnerships. This should however be carried out in the highest respect of responsible sourcing and business conduct standards.
Amendment 185 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Asks the Commission to ensure coherence between the Critical Raw Materials Action Plan and Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, including effective risk management measures for ensuring safe use and recycling of essential metals without feasible substitutes.
Amendment 186 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Reminds that control over natural resources too often opens the door to armed conflicts or social inequality, and that the Union should take into account such risks when addressing its policies regarding CRM sourced in third countries, especially
Amendment 187 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Considers that any measures to accelerate and facilitate mining projects under the Better Regulation agenda should not in any case by detrimental to the environment, social protection, and also ensure public participation;
Amendment 188 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Stresses that the rapid growth in renewable energy technologies is leading to increased dependence on CRMs, including rare earths.
Amendment 189 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 c (new) 6c. Is concerned about the environmental state of oceans, seas and marine resources , including species and ecosystems, in the European Union and globally; stresses that deep-sea mining causes significant potential risks to fisheries disturbance, water contamination, sound pollution and habitat destruction; calls for imposing a ban on deep-sea mining in EU waters and the Union and its Member States to promote such moratorium globally;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for binding EU reduction targets for primary raw materials use based on a comprehensive impact assessment; requests that the Commission include all possible options to minimise resource consumption in its demand scenarios for critical raw materials (CRM)
Amendment 190 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 c (new) 6c. Calls on the Commission to secure specific financial instruments to support investment plans and to secure Research and Innovation funds specifically addressing the following paths: processing of waste and a concrete and major improvement of the materials originated from waste; technologies and processing for extracting valuable raw materials from mining residues, tailing and complex streams;
Amendment 191 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 c (new) 6c. Points out that the mining required for this growth consumes large amounts of water, and that this may compete with the needs of local populations, particularly in regions subject to water stress; emphasises that around 70% of the mining operations of the six main mining companies are located in countries where there is water stress;
Amendment 192 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 c (new) 6c. Agrees that replacing a critical raw material with a non-critical raw material that offers similar performance (substitution) is an important way to alleviate critical raw materials dependency on third countries and asks the Commission and Member States to ensure a long-term support to research and development in this field, including by financial means.
Amendment 193 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 d (new) 6d. Highlights that North and South Pole are experiencing faster warming than areas closer to the Equator due climate change; stresses the sensitivity and vulnerability of the these areas and the extreme difficulty of to mitigate environmental damage due harsh natural conditions; notes that the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the Madrid Protocol) bans mining in Antarctic; points out that Greenland's bedrock contains rare earth mineral deposits that have drawn international interest in the mining industry; calls for the Union to support the government of Greenland to develop and implement high standard and sustainable mining regulation suitable for the local natural conditions;
Amendment 194 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 d (new) 6d. Believes that the EU must use all instruments at its disposal, including trade agreements and strategic partnerships, in order to create the conditions to facilitate EU joint ventures in third, resource-rich countries, especially from Africa and South America, while always taking account of responsible sourcing and best practice in business conducts; integration of the Western Balkans’ countries in the EU supply chain is also vital;
Amendment 195 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 d (new) 6d. Points out that local people suffer indirect consequences from the water, air and soil contamination caused by mining activities, with a major impact on their health;
Amendment 196 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 e (new) 6e. Believes, that it is important to widen the scope of the Critical Raw Materials Resilience, which’ final aim is charting a path towards greater security and sustainability; security and sustainability of the raw materials supply for the EU industry should address not only the critical raw materials but also all raw materials (including secondary raw materials) that are a strategic part of the key value chains;
Amendment 197 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 e (new) 6e. Points out that there is a large body of evidence of non-compliance of EU law in relation to mining across the EU; urges the Commission and the Member States to step up efforts to enforce the rule of law and prevent breaches to EU law in the mining sector; highlights that communities effected negatively by mining must have adequate tools to seek justice for environmental damage;
Amendment 198 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 e (new) 6e. Stresses that the pollution caused by mining has a direct impact on the means of subsistence of local people and may, in the long term, drive them to move away;
Amendment 199 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 f (new) 6f. Highlights that the European Green Deal and its initiatives, such as increased organic farming and promoting zero-carbon steel making, will not only mitigate multiple environmental pressures, but also increase the Union's and its Member States self-sufficiency on CRMs; believes that the advantages of the green transition should be also considered from the perspective of strategic autonomy in addition to mere narrow economic or environmental viewpoint;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Recital 1 a (new) 1a. whereas the demand for metals and minerals will increase rapidly with climate ambition; whereas the OECD projected that global metals use will increase from 8 to 20 billion tonnes in 2060 (+150%); whereas these critical raw materials are non-renewable resources; whereas growth in materials use, coupled with the environmental consequences of material extraction, processing and waste, is likely to increase the pressure on the resource bases of our economies and jeopardise future gains in well-being;1a __________________ 1aOECD HIGHLIGHTS Global Material Resources Outlook to 2060 – Economic Drivers and Environmental Consequences
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for
Amendment 200 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 f (new) 6f. Calls on the Commission to secure a wider availability and higher quality of sustainable secondary raw materials; to ensure European autonomy and security supply a fast and effective revision of existing instruments such as the Waste Shipment Regulation is necessary;
Amendment 201 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 f (new) 6f. Stresses that the development of mining activities, especially where forest areas are converted into mines, poses a particular risk to indigenous peoples and infringes their rights;
Amendment 202 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 g (new) 6g. Recalls its demand in its proposal of 8 October 2020 on the European Climate Law1a that the Union institutions and all Member States should, as early as possible and by 2025 at the latest, have phased out all direct and indirect fossil subsidies; stresses that all public subsidies related to CRMs should follow the ‘do no harm’ principle; __________________ 1a Text adopted, P9_TA(2020)0253
Amendment 203 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 g (new) 6g. Points out that mining activities mainly take place in developing countries, where labour standards are far less protective than in the Union, and that working conditions in mining operations therefore endanger the health and lives of the miners;
Amendment 204 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 h (new) 6h. Stresses that the risks to the health and safety of workers are particularly high in small-scale mining, which is the main type of mining using child labour;
Amendment 205 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 i (new) 6i. Considers that, by setting standards, the Union should guarantee worldwide that mining fully respects human rights, offers decent working conditions, minimises its impact on the water supplies and health of local populations, ensures prudent resource management and soil use, and prevents any water, air or soil contamination, deforestation or loss of biodiversity;
Amendment 206 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 j (new) 6j. Considers that the Union should introduce due diligence for companies operating in the internal market to ensure that those companies importing and using CRMs identify, assess, prevent, halt, mitigate and report on any potential and/or actual harmful effects of mining on human rights and the environment; stresses that victims should be guaranteed effective access to legal redress; welcomes in this respect the European Parliament resolution of 10 March 2021, which contains recommendations to the Commission on corporate due diligence and corporate accountability;
Amendment 207 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 k (new) 6k. Considers that mining emissions and CRM imports should be covered by the future carbon border adjustment mechanism;
Amendment 208 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 l (new) 6l. Calls on the Commission and Member States to put in place emission reduction strategies for imported CRMs for each sector with binding quantified targets, drawn up with stakeholders on the basis of the most ambitious existing initiatives;
Amendment 209 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 m (new) 6m. Points out that seismic sounding and offshore drilling cause significant noise pollution in the oceans, that the aquatic environment is particularly sensitive to noise pollution, and that there is evidence that many marine animals, particularly cetaceans, are directly affected, sometimes fatally, by this noise pollution of human origin;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for binding EU reduction targets for primary raw materials use and an increase in the recovery and recycling of materials in production processes, where possible; requests that the Commission include all possible options to minimise resource consumption in its demand scenarios for critical raw materials (CRM); __________________ 1 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0040.
Amendment 210 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 n (new) 6n. Considers that it would be a tragedy if the large deposits of rare earths in the seabed were mined; stresses that the consequences of mining in deep water could be far-reaching, severe and felt by many generations to come, principally through species loss and damage to ecosystems.
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for binding EU reduction targets for primary raw materials use within planetary boundaries by 2050 at the latest; requests that the Commission include all possible options to minimise resource consumption in its demand scenarios for critical raw materials (CRM); __________________ 1 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0040.
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for binding EU reduction targets for primary raw materials use; requests that the Commission include all possible options to minimise resource consumption in its demand scenarios for critical raw materials (CRM);
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for binding EU reduction targets for primary raw materials use; requests that the Commission include all possible options to minimise resource consumption in its demand scenarios for critical raw materials (CRM); while reflecting the need for metals and minerals to supply the technologies required for Green Deal goals. __________________ 1 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0040.
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 (new) Emphasises that in order to reach its 2030 goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent and its 2050 goal of climate neutrality, as well as deliver on its ambitious digitalisation agenda, the EU must significantly increase the fossil free share of its energy production and consumption, including through electrification and batteries development; highlights that this requires a stable supply of critical raw materials (CRM);
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 – point 1 (new) (1) Highlights that demand for critical raw materials (CRM) is likely to continue to grow exponentially as a result of the transition to a more digital and fossil free economy; underlines that the Union must be in a position to better meet this demand;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 – point 2 (new) (2) Stresses that a significant amount of critical raw materials (CRM) is today either sourced or processed in countries with less stringent social and environmental rules than the EU;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 – point 3 (new) (3) Emphasises the need for the Union and member States to increase the production of critical raw materials (CRM), both through mining and improved recycling;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 – point 4 (new) (4) Stresses the need for a holistic approach to critical raw materials (CRM) that takes all aspects, including environmental, economic, and social, of sustainability into consideration;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Recital 1 b (new) 1b. whereas the recycling rates of most CRMs are very low and are close to zero for the majority of them;1a __________________ 1ahttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0 474
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Notes that although phosphate rock appeared already in the second list of CRM in 2014 as the EU is highly dependent on it, there has not been any concrete structural measure put in place to improve the efficiency of use of phosphorus in the European agriculture despite the fact that type of agricultural practice, on which the Common Agricultural Policy has a strong leverage, is key for the improved efficiency of its use; Further recalls that although the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive requires the removal of P from waste water and as such is important from the perspective of sustainable P management, it does not provide for the conversion of the removed P into a usable form;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Reminds that the EU is heavily dependent on the imports of critical raw materials and between 75% and 100% reliant on imports for most metals; to reduce EUs excessive import dependence and to improve the resource security, there is an urgent need to move towards a fully circular economy that would ensure that the valuable raw materials are kept and reused within EU; therefore calls on the Commission to make circular economy transition a priority
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Points out that around 10% of global primary energy is used to extract, transport and refine metal resources across all sectors; highlights that the relative share of global primary energy used for metals is set to increase by 40% by 20301a;notes that the mining sector is responsible for 2% of current global emissions1b; __________________ 1aNorgate, T., Jahanshahi, S., ‘Reducing the greenhouse gas footprint of primary metal production: Where should the focus be?’, Minerals Engineering Volume 24, Issue 14, November 2011, pages 1563- 1570. 1bUNFCC (2018), Industry Sector Snapshot. Mining and Metals.
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Highlights that in the next few years the demand for the use of CRM will experience an exponential increase, especially in the production of batteries, which are essential for the transition towards the production of energy from renewable sources. It asks the Commission to parameterise the goal of reducing the use of CRM in relation to this increase in demand.
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Welcomes the European strategy for critical raw materials, underlines the need to urgently develop Horizon Europe R&I projects on waste processing, recycling, advanced materials and substitution, processes for exploitation and processing of critical raw materials in order to significantly reduce environmental impacts;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Recalls that its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan urges the Commission to differentiate between different sectors and products when proposing new targets; emphasises that this also applies to critical raw materials (CRM);
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Calls on the Commission to develop research programmes that would contribute to mitigating supply risks, given that CRMs are directly linked with the defence and aerospace industries and their role is crucial in the development of key defence capabilities;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Underlines that minimising resource consumption has to be complemented with securing availability and high quality of secondary raw materials including CRM's, and restrictions in export of waste including such materials;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Calls on the Commission to ensure comprehensive criticality assessment including assessment of all environmental externalities of extraction and processing of CRMs;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Underlines the need for a sustainable and digital economy as the most advanced technologies required for the twin transition to a green and digital future relies particularly on the safe and diverse supply of CRM and will lead to a drastic increase demand of CRM in Europe and elsewhere; emphasizes that CRM will ensure EU’s competitiveness in the rapidly changing modern economy; reiterates that the EU should contribute to securing access to CRM via helping partner countries to improve their management of CRM and strengthening partnerships; reiterates the need for an integrated policy response at EU level to ensure sufficient access to CRM at fair, transparent and undistorted prices invites the Commission and the Member States to develop a multilateral vision that would enhance international cooperation on CRM policies and investments; invites the Commission to establish a high-level interdepartmental Critical Raw Materials Task Force to elaborate, monitor, review policies and ensure coherence between trade policy and development goals;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Recital 1 c (new) 1c. whereas more than half of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are related to materials management activities; whereas GHG emissions related to materials management will rise to approximately 50 Gt CO2-equivalents by 2060;1a __________________ 1aOECD HIGHLIGHTS Global Material Resources Outlook to 2060 – Economic Drivers and Environmental Consequences
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Notes with concern that the twin green and digital transition promoted by the Commission will require increasing amounts of rare earths, rare metals, critical metals and base metals;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Reiterates the opportunities that lie in the optimised use of products and services, in addition to measures that extend life-cycles and material use; in this context, stresses in particular the opportunities to combine circular economy solutions and digitalisation; calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop policies to support new sustainable and circular business models, such as product-as-a-service (PaaS) approaches that save resources and reduce environmental impacts while ensuring protection for consumers; Invites the Commission to facilitate such PaaS approaches in the new Sustainable Products Initiative and calls on the Commission and Member States to remove undue regulatory and fiscal barriers to them and promote the development of infrastructures that enable circularity and a sustainable digital economy;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Notes that while it is the End of Life Recycling Input Rate that is considered for the criticality assessment, the 2020 CRM list does not always clearly indicate whether the CRM is recyclable or not; Considers that the Commission should in the Strategy put much stronger focus on recycling, processing and recovery of CRM in the EU to significantly increase the End of Life Recycling Rate and End of Life Recycling Input Rate where applicable;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Underlines the critical role of creating of a well-functioning market for secondary raw materials. In this regard calls on the Commission for rapid establishment of a market observatory for key secondary materials including CRM's.
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Highlights the environmental rationale for Europe investing into domestic critical raw materials production, compared with overreliance on more polluting countries;
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Reiterates its call on the Commission to base each legislative proposal on a comprehensive impact assessment;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Reiterates the need to create economic incentives and the right regulatory environment for innovation in circular solutions, materials and business models, while at the same time eliminating market-distorting subsidies and environmentally harmful subsidies, and calls for support for this in the new industrial strategy for Europe and the SME Strategy; emphasises the specific role that first movers, SMEs and start-ups are playing in the transition to a circular economy; underlines that research in sustainable materials, processes, technologies and products, as well as their industrial scale-up, can provide European companies with a global competitive advantage; emphasises that policies are needed at the EU and national levels to support the frontrunners in circular economy and circular business models;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Suggests that in the wake of a global crisis, such as the ongoing COVID- 19 pandemic, the Commission and the Member States should become more resilient in coping with possible future shocks and be prepared to reduce dependency, strengthen diversity and avoid supply disruption;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Highlights with deep concern the risk of creating and maintaining a vicious circle in which metal extraction becomes increasingly energy-intensive and energy production consumes increasing quantities of metals;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 d (new) 1d. Underlines the need to ensure sustainable and ethical sourcing of raw materials, including critical raw materials in order for metals and minerals to supply the technologies required for Green Deal goals; underlines the role of CRM in the recovery of the European economy and calls upon Member States to include a CRM strategy within their National Recovery Plans;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Recital d (new) 1d. whereas metals extraction and use have a wide range of polluting consequences, including toxic effects on humans and ecosystems;1a __________________ 1aOECD HIGHLIGHTS Global Material Resources Outlook to 2060 – Economic Drivers and Environmental Consequences
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 d (new) 1d. Points out that most mineral resources, particularly metals, are not renewable; emphasises that the quantity of all metals available on earth is therefore finite on a human scale;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 e (new) 1e. Denounces therefore the myth of a total decoupling of growth from the use of natural resources, and stresses that this can only be achieved in the EU at the cost of relocating polluting production and activities to countries outside the EU, making them shoulder the burden of an unsustainable mode of production, consumption and trade;
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 e (new) 1e. Notes the increased demand for producing more from less raw materials, to satisfy the aspirations of societies for prosperity, well-being and development against the backdrop of a growing global population;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 f (new) 1f. Emphasises that, in a January 2021 briefing, the European Environment Agency notes that ‘economic growth is closely linked to increases in production, consumption and resource use and has detrimental effects on the natural environment and human health’, and that ‘it is unlikely that a long-lasting, absolute decoupling of economic growth from environmental pressures and impacts can be achieved’1a; __________________ 1aEuropean Environment Agency (2021), Growth without economic growth.
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 f (new) 1f. Believes continued secure supply of ethically sourced raw materials to be the foundation to Europe’s material wealth and an indispensable building block for innovative and clean processes that enable Europeans to lead healthy and comfortable lives in line with the EU Green Deal;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 g (new) 1g. Considers therefore that ‘green growth’ strategies based on the myth of decoupling, such as the current European Green Deal, are inadequate; notes that it has been clear since 1972, when the Meadows report was published, that the pursuit of exponential economic growth, even where it is green growth, can only lead to the biophysical limits of the earth being exceeded, which is likely to result in the collapse of current modes of production, consumption and trade; points out that in developed countries, since the 1980s, economic growth has not been linked to an improvement in people’s well-being;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 g (new) 1g. Believes that research and innovation must lie at the centre of a successful CRM strategy; Furthermore emphasizes that innovative recycling processes and the development of new substitution materials will help revitalize Europe’s raw material industries in line with the EU Industrial Strategy and also reduce dependence on CRM imports from third countries.
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 h (new) 1h. Suggests that different yet complementary options to overcome raw material criticality exist, such as increasing European supply, ensuring access to imports, circularity, diversification or substitution; notes however, that substitution is still rarely used in practice and thus requires consistent multidisciplinary research support and incentives.
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 h (new) 1h. Points out that the EU’s environmental footprint and, more broadly, the pressure of human activities on ecosystems must decrease immediately and irreversibly;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 i (new) 1i. Urges the Commission and Member States to democratically plan for the transition to an economic system compatible with the nine planetary boundaries identified by Rockström et al, by adopting science-based binding EU mid-term and long-term targets for the reduction in the use of primary raw materials and environmental impacts;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Recital 1 a (new) 1a. whereas the International Resource Panel, in its report ‘Global Resources Outlook 2019’, estimates that half of the total greenhouse gas emissions and more than 90 % of biodiversity loss and water stress come from resource extraction and processing; whereas Europe’s environmental footprint exceeds the planetary boundaries and Europe contributes more to environmental degradation than other regions through consumption; whereas a significant reduction in our overall use of natural resources and in our waste production should be the overarching main objective of the European strategy for critical raw materials; whereas this will require a decoupling of economic growth from resource use, keeping in mind the distinction between absolute and relative decoupling;
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 i (new) 1i. Calls on the Commission to include SMEs in the CRM Strategy as they play a fundamental role in the Union’s economic resilience, asks the Commission to assess and factor in SME contributions systematically; furthermore underlines that relevant EU funds and support tools must be easily accessible for SMEs.
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 j (new) 1j. Notes the need for a level-playing field for both primary and recycled materials both on EU and international level; Understands that in order to create this level playing field, the European Union needs to increase its domestic capacity of Critical Raw Materials, when possible, to a minimum of 20%.
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 j (new) 1j. Stresses that the transition to an economic system compatible with the planetary boundaries must not come at the expense of vulnerable people, but must contribute to a constant improvement in living and working conditions in the EU and third countries;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Asks the Commission
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal of CRMs; calls for ambitious minimum recycled CRM content targets;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal of CRMs
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal of CRMs, focusing on raw materials with a risk of supply shortages and, consequently, a risk of excessive price increases; calls for ambitious minimum recycled CRM content targets; requests that the Commission propose new collection schemes and regular updates of the lists of recyclable products to increase collection rates of waste products containing CRMs; asks the Commission to propose dedicated recycling targets for CRMs, by extending the approach suggested in the proposal for a regulation on batteries and waste batteries (COM(2020)0798) to other product groups;
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal of CRMs; calls for ambitious minimum recycled CRM content or recycling targets; requests that the Commission propose new collection schemes to increase collection rates of
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Recital 1 b (new) 1b. whereas European Environmental Agency's report ‘Growth without economic growth’ concluded that global- scale, long-lasting and absolute decoupling of economic growth from resource consumption and environmental pressures may not be possible; whereas OECD's report ‘Global Material Resources Outlook to 2060’ forecast that global material use will more than double from 79 Gt in 2011 to 167 Gt in 2060 and that the materials intensity of the global economy is projected to decline more rapidly than in recent decades, but only relatively decouple from GDP growth;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal of
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal of CRMs; calls for ambitious minimum recycled CRM content or recycling targets; requests that the Commission propose new collection schemes to increase collection rates of
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal of CRMs; calls for ambitious minimum recycled CRM content targets; requests that the Commission
Amendment 73 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal of parts or components containing CRMs; calls for ambitious minimum recycled CRM content targets; requests that the Commission propose new collection schemes to increase collection rates of waste products containing CRMs; asks the Commission to propose dedicated recycling targets for CRMs, b
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal of CRMs; calls for mandatory ambitious
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal of CRMs; calls for ambitious minimum recycled CRM content targets; requests that the Commission propose new collection schemes to increase collection rates of waste products containing CRMs; asks the Commission to propose dedicated recycling targets for CRMs, by extending the approach suggested in the proposal for a regulation on batteries and waste batteries (COM(2020)0798) to other product groups, to improve resource circularity and efficiency;
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new) Encourages research into rare earth alternatives in order to reduce Europe’s dependence and ease the tension caused by global competition for access to these resources;
Amendment 77 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls on the Commission to monitor closely and find a solution to the continuous challenge imposed by the export restrictions applied by third countries; calls on the Commission to also monitor how third countries proceed with buying out exports of CRM and limit the EU’s chances of diversifying the sourcing; reiterates the need to use current trade rules to the maximum by establishing a monitoring mechanism of export restrictions on CRM in bilateral and multilateral negotiations and by fostering a dialogue about their use as a policy tool ;
Amendment 78 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Highlights that for some of the CRM the substitutes exist, albeit often of inferior quality, not safe for some of the applications or less economically attractive; Stresses however that for phosphate rock and phosphorus no substitution exists for any of the uses1a; Recalls that phosphate rock is an essential element of industrial agriculture, in the EU 95% of its use represent fertilizers (85%) and nutritional supplements for animal feed (10%); __________________ 1a Study on the EU's list of Critical Raw Materials, 2020:''Substitution of elemental phosphorous P4 and thus also of phosphate rock in other chemical applications is also set to 0% .'' https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/ 42883/attachments/2/translations/en/rendi tions/native
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Requests that the Commission propose effective collection schemes to increase collection rates of waste products containing CRMs; calls for the introduction of deposit refund schemes in EU waste legislation, in particular in Directive 2012/19/EU, to incentivise consumers to bring their end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment - particularly small items - to dedicated collection and recycling facilities;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Recital 1 c (new) 1c. whereas the European Environment Agency, in its report ‘The European Environment - State And Outlook 2020’, concluded that marine life, including species and habitats, is still under pressure across Europe from cumulative impacts that reduce the overall resilience of marine ecosystems; Whereas the target of achieving good environmental status of European marine waters by 2020 was not achieved; whereas globally oceans, seas and marine resources are increasingly threatened, degraded or destroyed by human activities;
Amendment 80 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Stresses the shortcomings of outsourcing all impacts of critical raw materials supply to other parts of the world; recognises the high comparative environmental and social standards in place for European mining, refining, and recycling operations; calls on the Commission and European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise new investment which is environmentally and socially responsible and sets the global standard.
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Welcomes the ambition of becoming a global leader in sustainable raw materials production; underlines that this requires policy coherence between all relevant policy initiatives and EU legislation.
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Asks the Commission to prevent critical raw materials in waste from being exported for bad recycling in poorly regulated regions;
Amendment 83 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls the Commission, when reviewing the Waste Shipment Regulation, to strengthen enforcement in order to prevent illegal exports of waste products containing CRMs. Calls for requirements that only allow for the export of waste products containing extractable and reusable CRMs if guaranteed that they will be treated under conditions equivalent to the EU.
Amendment 84 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Calls for ambitious minimum recycled CRM content targets; calls for minimum treatment standards regarding process efficiency, environmental performance and safety for recyclers of key product groups; asks the Commission to propose dedicated recycling targets for CRMs, by extending the approach suggested in the proposal for a Regulation on batteries and waste batteries (COM(2020)0798) to other product groups; in particular, calls on the Commission to come forward with proposals to replace input-based recycling targets in Directive 2012/19/EU without put-based recycling targets, to increase the recovery of CRMs from waste electrical and electronic equipment; welcomes the ongoing Commission assessment of potential improvements to EU recycling standards for electrical and electronic equipment to increase recovery and recycling of CRM content;
Amendment 85 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Calls on the Commission to fully address illegal export of waste shipments to third countries containing CRMs in the review of the Waste Shipments Regulation; Therefore calls for overall requirements that waste products containing CRMs are only exported when treated under similar conditions to Europe in the country of destination.
Amendment 86 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Underlines that phosphorus is one of the six main building blocks of life (together with oxygen, hydrogen, potassium, nitrogen and carbon) and is vital for all life on planet earth, including plants;
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Allocate adequate economic resources for research and development of the re-engineering of European production systems in order to minimise the use of CRM and also to facilitate their recycling;
Amendment 88 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 c (new) 2c. Given the fact that 95% of the CRM phosphate rock and phosphorus is used in agriculture, calls for scaling up agricultural practices beneficial to P management like agroecology, conservation agriculture and agroforestry systems1a and highlights synergies of these practices with the legally binding biodiversity and climate targets; Asks that a legislative proposal on sustainable food systems, to be presented by the Commission by y.2023, holistically addresses shortcomings of our production and consumption, including with respect to circularity; __________________ 1aB. Garske, J. Stubenrauch F. Ekardt, 2020: Sustainable phosphorus management in European agricultural and environmental law (https://doi.org/10.1111/reel.12318)
Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 c (new) 2c. Notes that the EU industry reorientation towards the circular economy requires specific skills and competences to ensure high environmental performance and worker safety; requests the Commission to include training and reskilling programmes for the circular economy as a priority in the EU Skills Agenda and in EU funding programmes;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Recital 1 d (new) 1d. whereas the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the Charter) requires a high level of environmental protection and the improvement of the quality of the environment must be integrated into the policies of the Union and ensured in accordance with the principle of sustainable development; Whereas the Charter applies to all Union legislation and to national authorities when implementing Union law both in the Union and in third countries; Whereas, given that future legislation on corporate due diligence and corporate accountability for European undertakings would be expected to have extraterritorial effects, such legislation would affect the environmental development of developing countries and their prospects of achieving their SDGs; whereas any corporate due diligence legislation must be in line with the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 90 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 c (new) 2c. Highlights that the components of many technological devices are no longer separable (e.g. the battery in smartphones) and invites the Commission to consider the advisability of recommending to manufacturers the separability of the individual components from which CRM can be extracted for recycling;
Amendment 91 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 d (new) 2d. Underlines that negative phosphorus balance in agriculture could be addressed instead of sourcing phosphate rock by the increased use of recycled phosphorus materials, e.g. by composting, co-production of P-rich materials from processed animal by- products or recycling of wastes and by- products of plant and animal origin including from municipal wastewater; Highlights that where applicable, appropriate steps need to be taken for the hygienisation of the eligible input materials and to decrease to an absolute minimum the organic content to address the risk of development of antimicrobial resistance; Notes that use of low-quality material derived from manure with an unknown presence of biological pathogens present and no data on antibiotic use in the livestock production has been shown to increase both the abundance and diversity of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in soil and phyllosphere1a; __________________ 1a JRC Science for Policy Report, 2019: Technical proposals for selected new fertilising materials under the Fertilising Products Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2019/1009) (referencing the original from Chen et al., 2017)
Amendment 92 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 e (new) 2e. Stresses that the 2020 CRM List includes newly aluminium and bauxite; Notes that while bauxite is non-recyclable as is consumed during all of its uses, aluminium is infinitely recyclable without downgrading its quality; Regrets that the low level of recycling in some of the uses1a, as well as export of aluminium waste and scrap2a has led to a lower End- of-Life Recycling Input Rate than what could have otherwise been achieved; Stresses that the EU should aim and put in place measures to achieve 100% End- Of-Life-Recycling Rate of aluminium; __________________ 1awhile EoL-RR in Europe for aluminium used in transport and buildings was over 90%, only 60% of the aluminium used in packaging was recycled in 2013 2a'' If the EU had processed domestically the flow of aluminium waste and scrap exported in 2015, the EoLRIR would have increased to 16% (Passarini et al. 2018)- from the Study on the EU's list of Critical Raw Materials(2020)
Amendment 93 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 Amendment 94 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise CRM extraction from existing mines
Amendment 95 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise CRM extraction from existing mines and waste dumps over new mining if sustainable; requests that the Commission assess before the implementation of the Batteries regulation whether current due diligence and environmental rules are sufficient to guarantee minimal environmental impact of potential new mining projects supplying the E
Amendment 96 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise CRM extraction from existing mines and waste dumps over new mining, if sustainable; requests that the Commission assess whether current due diligence and environment rules are sufficient to guarantee minimal environmental impact of potential new mining projects in the EU;
Amendment 97 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to pr
Amendment 98 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise CRM extraction
Amendment 99 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise CRM extraction from existing mines and waste dumps over new mining; requests that the Commission assess whether current due diligence and environment rules are sufficient to guarantee minimal environmental impact of potential new mining projects in the EU, and revise them where necessary;
source: 692.608
2021/06/02
INTA
72 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Paragraph -1 (new) -1. Underlines that potential risks related to external dependencies are further reduced by the EU’s open economy being integrated in an effective and fair global Trading system. Global trade can notably help to diversify supply sources and sustain demand for our industrial output, helping to cushion possible shocks and disruptions having an impact on internal EU value chains, but also to ensure that the EU can meet its internal demand in case of rapidly increasing demand of certain goods;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the new EU Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials and stresses that
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Welcomes the publication of the Updated New Industrial Strategy1a and its call to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy and new partnerships with industry and like-minded international partners; welcomes the Commission’s ongoing work on critical supply chains highlighting that critical raw and processed materials are essential to ensure the success of the clean energy and digital transitions; __________________ 1a Updating the 2020 New Industrial Strategy: Building a stronger Single Market for Europe’s recovery”, COM(2021) 350 final
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Considers critical to broaden the scope of Critical Raw Materials Resilience, with the ultimate goal of charting a path to greater security and sustainability; The EU industry's raw materials supply security and sustainability should include not only critical raw materials, but also all raw materials, including secondary raw materials, that are a strategic part of key value chains;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Notes the importance of widening the scope of the European strategy for critical raw materials, which final aim is charting a path towards greater security and sustainability; security and sustainability of the raw materials supply for the EU industry should address not only the critical raw materials but also all raw materials, including secondary raw materials, that are a strategic part of the key value chains;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Considers important to improve the coordination of the relevant research, entrepreneurship and regional strategies, through the EIT Raw Materials Knowledge Innovation Communities;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Notes that demand for raw materials is projected to double by 2050 and that the EU is highly reliant on non-EU countries for critical raw materials, making increased resource efficiency and diversified sourcing essential to increase the EU’s security of supply; calls, therefore, on the Commission to diversify the supply sources of critical raw materials as much as possible
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Notes
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Notes that demand for raw materials is projected to double by 2050 and that the EU is highly reliant on non-EU countries for critical raw materials, making diversified sourcing essential to increase the EU’s security of supply; calls, therefore, on the Commission to diversify the supply sources of critical raw materials as much as possible, and reduce current reliance on a few countries; stresses that this goal should be achieved by strengthening existing partnerships and trade agreements and building new strategic agreements with resource-rich countries, including developing countries and the Western Balkans in particular, in accordance with clearly defined priorities; calls on the Commission to focus also on securing supplies by establishing strategic stocks and appropriate stockpiling of critical raw materials in Europe, particularly in light of the uncertainties linked to the evolution of the geopolitical situation worldwide and the potential trade tensions with rich non-
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Notes that demand for raw materials is projected to double by 2050 and that the EU is highly reliant on non-EU countries for critical raw materials, making diversified sourcing essential to increase the EU’s security of supply; notes that some critical raw materials' highest storages are in third countries with undemocratic regimes, which use the European Union's needs as an asset for their will; calls, therefore, on the Commission to diversify the supply sources of critical raw materials as much as possible, and reduce current reliance on a few countries, some of them highly undemocratic; calls on the Commission to focus also on securing supplies by establishing strategic stocks and appropriate stockpiling of critical raw materials in Europe, particularly in light of the uncertainties linked to the evolution of the geopolitical situation worldwide and the potential trade tensions with rich non- EU producer countries;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph -1 a (new) -1a. Reminds that several technologies, which are considered crucial for the achievement of the "Green Deal" objectives, are fully dependant on specific third countries. Green and digital transitions will lead to a drastic increase in European demand for certain critical raw materials by 2050;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Notes that demand for raw materials is projected to double by 2050, given the important and ongoing transition to a green and digital economy, and that the EU is highly reliant on non-EU countries for critical raw materials, making diversified sourcing essential to increase the EU’s security of supply; calls, therefore, on the Commission to diversify the supply sources of critical raw materials as much as possible, and reduce current reliance on a few countries by not only developing mining capabilities but also processing, refining and recycling facilities; calls on the Commission to focus also on securing supplies by establishing strategic stocks and appropriate stockpiling of critical raw materials in Europe, particularly in light of the uncertainties linked to the evolution of the geopolitical situation worldwide and the potential trade tensions with rich non-
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Notes that demand for raw materials is projected to double by 2050 and that the EU is highly reliant on non-EU countries for critical raw materials, making diversified sourcing essential to increase the EU’s security of supply; calls, therefore, on the Commission to diversify the supply sources of critical raw materials as much as possible, and reduce current reliance on a few countries; calls on the
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Notes that demand for raw materials is projected to double by 2050 and that the EU is highly reliant on non-EU countries for critical raw materials, making diversified sourcing, as well as processing and refining, essential to increase the EU’s security of supply; calls, therefore, on the Commission to
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Notes that demand for raw materials is projected to double by 2050 and that the EU is highly reliant on non-EU countries for critical raw materials, making diversified sourcing essential to increase the EU’s security of supply; calls, therefore, on the Commission to diversify the supply sources of critical raw materials as much as possible, and reduce current reliance on a few countries; underlines the potential of the Arctic in this regard; calls on the Commission to focus also on securing supplies by establishing strategic stocks and appropriate stockpiling of critical raw materials in Europe, particularly in light of the uncertainties linked to the evolution of the geopolitical situation worldwide and the potential trade tensions with rich non-
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Notes that demand for raw materials is projected to double by 2050 and that the EU is highly reliant on non-EU countries for critical raw materials, making diversified sourcing essential to increase the EU’s security of supply; calls, therefore, on the Commission to strengthen domestic sourcing of raw materials and diversify the supply sources of critical raw materials
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Notes that demand for raw materials is projected to double by 2050 and that the EU is highly reliant on non-EU countries for critical raw materials, making diversified sourcing essential to increase the EU’s security of supply;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Believes that the EU should use all instruments at its disposal, including trade agreements and strategic partnerships, in order to create the conditions to facilitate EU joint ventures in third, resource-rich countries, especially from Africa and South America, while always taking account of responsible sourcing and best practice in business conducts; integration of the Western Balkans’ countries in the EU supply chain is also of vital importance;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Considers important to use the trade agreements and strategic partnerships, in order to create the conditions to facilitate EU joint ventures in third, critical, resource-rich countries, while always taking account of responsible sourcing and best practices in business conducts; calls the Commission to monitor the ways in which critical raw materials are produced in China and Africa;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Believes that the EU should use all available tools, including trade agreements and strategic partnerships, to create the conditions for EU joint ventures in third-world, resource-rich countries, particularly in Africa and South America, while always considering responsible sourcing and best business practices; integration of the countries of the Western Balkans into the EU supply chain is also critical;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls on the Commission to use bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to help secure a sustainable and diversified raw materials supply, while using stricter rules of origin and promoting sustainability standards worldwide; welcomes in that sense the ongoing dialogue with Canada and Chile aiming to strengthen trade relations in the area of CRM; underlines that future EU trade and partnership agreements can provide not only greater supply security but also a reliable political and economic framework and that they should include specific provisions on critical raw materials to promote cooperation and avoid export restrictions; emphasises the need for closer cooperation with key international suppliers especially Serbia, Ukraine, Australia, the US, Africa, Mercosur, and China;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph -1 b (new) -1b. Underlines the importance to aligning the European strategy for critical raw materials with the EU New Industrial Strategy and the renewed EU trade policy;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Underlines that global value chains, and in particular critical raw materials value chains, are impacted by detrimental effects of natural or man- made hazards, and stresses that the frequency and impact of those hazards is likely to increase in the future, and being transmitted to different world regions, leading to a subsequent increase of macroeconomic volatility as well as market and trade uncertainty; emphasizes that the environmental and social costs of highly fragmented global value chains using critical raw materials and just-in- time production models are not factored into the prices of these products and thus, result in market failures that could further impact trade relations between the EU and third countries;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls in this respect for increased cooperation of investors and all relevant stakeholders, including industrial actors along the value chain, Member States and regions, trade unions, civil society, research and technology organisations, investors and NGOs within the sectors of EU economy most affected by bottlenecks in critical raw materials supply either using the framework offered by the European Raw Materials Alliance or forming sector specific industry and stakeholder alliances to address shortages in supply of critical raw materials; such cooperation should aim at analysing supply chain bottlenecks, strategic stockpiling of critical resources and funding research on exploration of new sourcing sites and technologies;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Acknowledges the need to push for a diversification and security of supply to achieve the open strategic autonomy on this critical sector; in this regard, reiterates to the Commission the importance to avoid promoting and financially supporting the development of deep sea mining;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Urges the Commission and the Member States to prioritise intra- European supply chains on critical raw materials, as well as with third countries with democratic regimes in the Union's neighbourhood regions;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Notes that the green transition is posing new challenges, namely that although electrical cars accounted for only one percent of total car stock worldwide in 2019, sustainable development scenarios require this figure to reach 4.9 percent by 2025 and 13.4 percent by 2030, with a bigger need for lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries with which they are propelled, and whose main source today is Australia; calls therefore for the FTA between the EU and Australia to be completed before the end of the current legislative mandate; notes that the other main sources of lithium in the world are Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Stresses the risks in critical supply chains made apparent by the COVID-19 crisis and calls on the Commission to adopt an EU Sustainable Supply Chain Strategy as a follow-up of the EU Industrial Strategy identifying supply chains built on critical raw materials for which resilience and sustainability would be increased by supply diversification, reshoring and stockpiling; supports the inclusion of reporting provisions required for that analysis in the context of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Welcomes the Joint European Union - United States initiative on addressing global steel and aluminium excess capacity and calls for comprehensive and expeditious measures to hold to account countries like China that support trade-distorting policies; reminds the Commission, however, that for the time being the US Section 232 tariffs remain in full force and that this issue must urgently be resolved;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 c (new) 2c. Calls for establishing a legal EU framework in the context of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive to subject companies largely exposed to international supply chains to undertake regular 'resilience stress tests' that would map, assess and provide potential responses to their supply chain risks, including externalities as well as social, environmental and political risks;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 d (new) 2d. Notes the advantages of accelerating Europe's "strategic autonomy" regarding critical raw materials, supporting a European Partnership (Horizon Europe) or an IPCEI. The aim of these instruments should be to cover the entire raw materials – critical and strategic – supply chain: from assessing domestic mineral sources through final use and recycling. It is essential to foster both supply and demand side to strengthen resilience and to contribute to autonomy;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Underlines that future EU free trade agreements (FTAs)
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the new EU Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Underlines that future EU free trade agreements (FTAs) should include a specific
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Underlines that future EU free trade agreements (FTAs) should include a specific focus on raw materials;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Underlines that future EU free trade agreements (FTAs) should include
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Underlines that future EU free trade agreements (FTAs) should include a specific focus on raw materials; calls on the Commission to further enhance the enforcement of FTAs to ensure that commitments and obligations on sourcing
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Underlines that the Commission's plan does not mention how local communities will be involved in the decision-making; asks the Commission to fully engage with local communities and stakeholders prior to mining projects approval and licensing;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Urges the Commission to prioritise FTAs with democratic countries that uphold the rule of Law and the respect to human rights;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Welcomes that the Commission is committed to carry out an ex-post evaluation of the impact of the EU agreements on key environmental aspects, including on climate change; calls for a concrete timeline and stresses that the evaluations should, when necessary, lead to a review of existing agreements in order to address their identified negative impacts; stresses the role of ex-ante, intermediate and ex-post specific impact assessment as regards trade flows on critical raw materials that are facilitated by FTAs;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Stresses that strengthening circular economy inside the EU and improving EU’s recycling rates for critical metals and minerals required in green and digital technologies could help Europe to improve its resilience in line with the drive for strategic open autonomy; notes in this regard that in the transition to a circular economy particular attention should be given to key supply chains where the EU’s dependence on critical raw materials is particularly high;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Believes it is crucial to secure specific financial instruments to support investment plans and Research and Innovation funds specifically addressing technologies of processing for extracting valuable raw materials from mining residues, tailing and complex streams;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the new EU Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials and stresses that EU trade policy can play a key role as a vehicle for improving EU access to these materials; notes that the EU 2020 reviewed list contains 30 critical raw materials including four newly added; notes that the COVID-19 outbreak has exposed the lack of resilience of global value chains for certain key products, showing the need for more robust and resilient sustainable supply chains for critical raw materials; notes that the monitoring of commodity dependencies and securing access to critical raw materials should be one of the key elements in the implementation of EU’s open strategic autonomy;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Calls on the Commission to secure specific financial instruments to support investment plans, as well as Research and Innovation funds focused on the following paths: waste processing and a concrete and significant improvement of waste-derived materials; technologies and processing for extracting valuable raw materials from mining residues, tailings, and complex streams;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 d (new) 3d. Calls on the Commission to advance in our relations with partners countries for a global circular economy by proposing a Global Circular Economy Alliance, to bring forward an international agreement on the management of natural resources, and to launch a discussion at the WTO on the constraints posed by the prohibition of local content requirement on the scale-up of a circular economy, to build a stronger partnership with different world regions, in particular with Africa, and to ensure that Free Trade Agreements reflect the enhanced objectives of the circular economy;
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 d (new) 3d. Stresses the need to pursue the broadest possible solutions to address European dependence with regard to the supply of critical raw materials by actively supporting the eco-design of manufactured goods, measures to tackle planned obsolescence, product repeatability, incentives to increase restraint in production and consumption patterns, and the promotion of research and development in disruptive technologies that reduce use of and dependence as regards critical raw materials;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 e (new) 3e. Underlines that stronger controls for EU exports of key critical raw material waste streams, including electronics waste, batteries, and end-of-life vehicles, as well as, hazardous waste coming from resource extraction, are needed to avoid pollution from informal recycling in developing countries, and to establish a level playing field for recycling operators meeting the necessary standards for safe and efficient recovery;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 e (new) 3e. Requests that the Commission acts through the Waste Shipments Regulation review to prevent, through increased measures and a strengthened inspection system, the illegal and dubious exports of waste products containing critical raw materials to avoid improper treatment of electronics waste and batteries; calls for overall requirements that waste products containing critical raw materials are exported with a guarantee they will be treated under equivalent conditions to Europe in the destination country so that resources are not lost through informal recycling operations and which also supports the transition to the circular economy; considers that it is important to reinforce the availability of secondary raw materials, including ferrous scrap and rare earths, in order to improve the resilience and circularity of CRMs supplies;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 e (new) 3e. Calls on the Commission to ensure a greater availability and higher quality of secondary raw materials; that existing instruments, such as the Waste Shipment Regulation, be revised quickly and effectively; that waste should be exported only when environmental and social standards, as well as climate mitigation measures, are equivalent to EU standards at the destination;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 e (new) 3e. Stresses the importance of securing a wider availability and higher quality of secondary raw materials; a fast and effective revision of existing instruments such as the Waste Shipment Regulation is necessary; the export of this type of waste should occur only when, at the destination, the environmental and social standards and measures to mitigate climate effects and environmental and social impacts are equivalent to EU standards;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 f (new) 3f. Calls on rules of origin to be used in a stricter way to safeguard raw materials production and prevent circumvention from regions where operators are subject to less stringent sustainability and industrial subsidies requirements;
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 f (new) 3f. Stresses that sustainable trade and responsible mining and sourcing must remain cornerstones in the implementation of the EU’s Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials; calls for complementary measures such as banning the import of critical raw materials related to severe human rights violations such as forced labour or child labour;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 f (new) 3f. Recalls that responsible sourcing and due diligence are key issues throughout the raw materials value chain; notes that, given the EU’s high dependence on imports, sustainable and responsible sourcing from third countries must be guaranteed;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the new EU Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials and stresses that EU trade policy can play a key role as a vehicle for improving EU access to these materials; notes that the COVID-19
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 f (new) 3f. Calls on the Commission to identify obstacles, and investment opportunities at all stages of the raw materials value chain while trying to minimise the environmental and social impact;
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 f (new) 3f. Underlines that any new sourcing activities of companies operating in the EU market have to adhere to the Conflict Minerals Regulation, rules on responsible sourcing described in the Non-Financial Reporting Directive, as well as comply with the international standards of responsible commodity sourcing and be subject to a mandatory and binding due diligence throughout the entire supply chain to combat child and forced labour and other breaches of human and workers’ rights;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 f (new) Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 g (new) 3g. Reminds that control over natural resources too often opens the door to armed conflicts or social inequality, and that the Union should take into account such risks when addressing its policies regarding CRM sourced in third countries, especially Africa;
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Underlines that a fully functioning rules-based multilateral trading system is also key to ensuring open trade flows of critical raw materials; renews its call on the Commission, in this regard, to pursue its efforts for the modernisation, strengthening and substantial reactivation of the World Trade Organization to fight distortions of international trade and guarantee effective competition worldwide; calls on the Commission to use the international fora to curtail distortive export restrictions of critical raw materials, imposing of export tariffs and distortive taxes on investment in critical raw materials sourcing which block open and fair trade in critical raw materials;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Underlines that a fully functioning rules-based multilateral trading system is
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Underlines that a fully functioning rules-based multilateral trading system is also key to ensuring
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Underlines that a fully functioning rules-based multilateral trading system is also key to ensuring open trade flows of
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Recalls that the EU's trade policy consists of multilateral and bilateral engagement, as well as autonomous measures and therefore; - welcomes the Commission's public commitment to introduce a legislative proposal on corporate due diligence and corporate accountability in 2021 and insists that this legislation contribute towards addressing abuses of human rights, social and environment standards in value chains; - calls on the Commission to explore new technological solutions for improving traceability in global value chains and recalls that blockchain technology can contribute towards this goal; - welcomes also the preparatory work towards a WTO-compliant Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism which, once introduced, will further contribute to the sustainability of value chains;
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Calls on the Commission, the European Investment Bank and other European Union institutions to promote and support investment in new critical raw materials sourcing, processing and refining sites in cooperation with the countries in the European Neighbourhood and the Global South (with special attention to the Western Balkans, Africa and Latin America) as a part of a long-term international sourcing strategy which engages European and international partners and SMEs; stresses that the investments should be compliant with the EU taxonomy for environmentally sustainable economic activities and that we should only support responsible mining practices that prevent environment degradation and protect the interests of local communities and international human rights standards;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the new EU Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials and stresses that EU trade policy can play a key role as a vehicle for improving EU access to these materials; notes that the COVID-19 outbreak has exposed the lack of resilience of global value chains for certain key products, showing the need for more sustainable, robust and resilient supply chains for critical raw materials; underlines that sustainability requirements regarding the extraction of raw materials should be a precondition to trade and investment in those materials;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Highlights that the strong state- backed competition for access to raw materials in third countries hampers EU resilience and security of supply, therefore welcomes the Commission's plans to establish strong and supportive international partnerships by endorsing a global agenda on raw materials, aiming for EU partnerships that ensure both security of supply and developmental benefits;
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Welcomes the Joint Statement of the Trilateral Meeting of the Trade Ministers of Japan, the United States and the European Union Commission, and supports the proposed definition of industrial subsidies; welcomes that such definition extends beyond the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and EU Anti- subsidy Regulation, and provides a broader definition of a subsidy; believes that such measures are crucial in levelling the international playing field in the area of CRM as industrial subsidies, particularly in China, pose a serious threat to EU industry and workers as it distorts international competition;
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5.
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the new EU Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials and stresses that EU trade policy can play a key role as a vehicle for improving EU access to these materials while promoting sustainable standards, good governance and responsible sourcing; notes that the COVID-19 outbreak has exposed the lack of resilience of global value chains for certain key products, showing the need for more robust, sustainable and resilient supply chains for critical raw materials;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Welcomes the new EU Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials and stresses that EU trade policy can play a key role as a vehicle for improving EU access to these materials; notes that the green transition and COVID-19 outbreak ha
source: 693.653
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